My aim is to do the best that I can, and take the sport as far as I can make it go. It takes enough organising and favours to get an attempt to happen that it’s not something to repeat without a significant difference in conditions. I’d only expect to do it again if/when whatever I get to (if it is a new record) gets beaten, and I think I can do something significantly more than I do this time. Maybe I could get fitter years down the line, but also being 22 and 59kg counts for something too (though top cyclists seem to peak later than most athletes).
Yes, I’ve been practicing on the track which I’m going to use. I have done up to 200 laps in one sitting (50 miles), and I’m happy with how it goes - maintaining 15mph is ok. Yes, a bigger straighter track would be better (a several mile long motor-racing circuit would probably be perfect), but there’s nothing better in Mid-Wales, and there’s a lot to be said for having local contacts and friends around to support.
That’s the best thing about record attemptss…pushing the sport further each time.
Hmm…my weight exactly. How tall are you though?
I found the most useful thing to keep up my pace up during my attempt was having supporters cheering you at each lap, and also other riders pacing you alongside.
Are you going to put out live updates? Perhaps someone could post on RSU on-the-hour updates?
Any bets on the distance? I’ll say 460km, although 500+ would be fantastic.
I’m 170cm / 5’7". Not very tall, but still taller than some world-renouned unicyclists…
Yes, there should be up-to-the-lap data on my webpage during the event. I’m sure someone could post to here at a few points too.
Maybe I should start a sweepstake for the distance! (not really, I’d probably get pulled over with gambling regulations. But feel free to make predictions and donations if you want to.)
OK, here’s a photo of my ‘rig’ (not suitable for oil exploration).
The brake is still attached, but I’ll take that off. The blue strap is to add rigidity to the saddle rather than hold the handles on - it’s a flexy plastic seat base. It was originally just the top two bars with the bars-ends on the front, T7 style, but the Aerobars were added underneath. It looks shonky, but really is very stable.
Ingredients for the homebrew handles:
Micro-scooter ‘T’ bar (aluminium)
Straight MTB handlebar (aluminium)
Broomstick (wood)
MTB bar-ends (aluminium)
Cinnelli aerobars (alu with plastic rests)
Nuts and bolts (steel)
Just curious, but will you alternate clockwise/counterclockwise on the track after so many laps in one direction? I can’t see making 800 left-hand turns (unless you drive for NASCAR, too).
Smaller cranks just make the wheel look bigger in comparison
That’s a pretty neat handle setup. One of the riders on MUT was talking about putting aerobars on the front of his t7 - looks like you beat him, sort of.
Best of luck! don’t fall off while in full aero position
I tried 102s once; briefly. I rode around for a bit going “aaargh these are so short, I don’t know what to do with them!” and then took them off. No objection to them in principle, but don’t think they’d be very good for dodging pedestrians!
My main problem is that short cranks on a big wheel slow me down; I don’t have the really precise control needed to take the uni to the limit whilst running such short cranks.
I know I’ve ridden over 20 miles without a dismount and I’m very stable on my Coker. However I still don’t know if I’ll ever be ready to “block my exit.” However for a closed course that’s flat and level, and that you’ll have so memorized you’ll probably know the number of pedal turns between any bumps, maybe it’s all right.
After having unknowingly ridden the 10k race with 114mm cranks instead of the 125s we thought they were, I can see 90s working in that situation as well. Any amount of hill would suck pretty bad though; down more than up!
Even in the Indy 500 there are only 200 laps. Yes, I know that’s not NASCAR. An athletics track has two turns per lap, which makes for about 1880 turns before he matches Ken’s record.
They’re only half clips. There are quite a few of us who ride with them over here. If you crash, you fall out of them. They make you much less likely to lose your feet when riding at high speeds, overall I feel much much safer in the clips than without. Having seen how fast Sam spins when he’s in a hurry, I think it’d be hard to spin that fast without them. Once you try the half clips, it’s hard to go back to unclipped road riding, it just feels so unsafe.
Really pleased to hear you’re going for it Sam. After seeing you arrive at our house (twice now) having just ridden 150 miles and looking as fresh as anything, I know you can do this.
I’ll definitely be there to cheer you on and I’ll bring the large tent as requested. I’ll also bring the unicycle banners if you want.
Looking forward to it. I will ride some of it (keeping well in front, or well behind) - but certainly won’t be up all night.
No thanks, tried them. Over 20 years ago. They are relegated to my Excessory Cycle.
Spinning fast was never a problem. I used to be able to spin as fast as anyone else out there. If I lose my footing on a Coker, it’s from hitting bumps. Having something keep your feet in place over bumps is great, but not if those same bumps take you down and you can’t get your feet out!
But I’m not going to try to tell experienced riders what to do. With the stability of 36ers, I think more people will start attaching their feet to the pedals in various ways. I just urge caution, and much drilling in getting your feet out in a hurry. Otherwise the crash injuries could be pretty major. Wrists, arms and faces!
A bit of a bump, as I’ve been quite on this recently. It is still happening!
Today I spent two good hours filming for ITV Wales with their ‘And Finally…’ guy who does the funny slots. It should be on tomorrow morning and evening (Thursday), probably at the end with a trailer clip earlier on. I don’t have a TV or recording apparatus, so if someone could digitise it that would be cool.
With any luck I can get a DVD of it eventually, but I’ve experienced that sort of thing never coming through.
Radio 5 Live want to do a bit on the story, as do BBC Radio Wales and Radio Ceredigion - in decreasing influence! I’ve been in the Cambrian News (local) and Western Mail (National, Wales) that I know of so far. We’re still hoping to make the BBC News online, probably afterwards if successful.
I’m eating rather than riding now (pasta for breakfast!), and trying to get the admin sorted in good time. I’m still planning to get an online stats page running during the event, which I’ll launch nearer the time.
Re: pedals. I have a graze on my elbow now due to not having my foot in the clipped side of my pedal when hitting a speed hump today - it slipped off and I fell. Feet in clips are always safer for cokering (for me anyway)
The weather forecast is very good - low wind, warm and sunny.
(though top cyclists seem to peak later than most athletes).
